Australia Urges India to Fast Track Customs

Sep 17, 2010 |

Sydney

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Australia has urged Indian officials to fast track the delivery of medical supplies and sporting equipment belonging to the Australian team into New Delhi ahead of the October 3-14 Commonwealth Games.

Australian Commonwealth Games Association chief executive Perry Crosswhite told the Australian Associated Press on Friday that a container shipped five weeks ago to India had been sitting off Mumbai for 10 days, more than double the anticipated time, awaiting customs clearance and the freight forwarders were starting to get “really concerned”.

The equipment is expected to take up to three days to reach Delhi after being cleared in Mumbai. Crosswhite said some of the equipment was needed as early as Saturday, and sending replacements by air freight would be prohibitively expensive. Poles belonging to world and Olympic champion pole vaulter Steven Hooker were among the stranded freight.

Sujatha Singh, India’s high commissioner to Australia, thought the ship was stuck in a queue and she’d urged the Indian government to speed up the delivery. "I've been in touch with the ministries of shipping and transport and my own ministry," Ms Singh was quoted as saying. "We're breathing down their necks and they're trying to see what they can do about it."

Mr Crosswhite said the container also held office equipment he needed to set up Australia's headquarters for the Commonwealth Games Village, which opened on Thursday.

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